RonKMiller

This is what I get for subscribing - "frenetic" is defined as "intense, usually wild and often disorderly, complusive or agitated activity".

Damn, I'm pleased to own an FD3S since 1993.

- and just think, I can go out tomorrow a buy a ******' RX8 "grocery getter"!!

From Consumer Reports:

"The new RX-8, due this summer, is a sporty coupe that is intended as a successor to the uncompromising RX-7, which was retired in 1995. The RX-8 marks the return of the "Wankel" rotary engine to the U.S. The new car delivers either 210 or 250 hp without the previous model's turbocharging. Unlike the frenetic RX-7, with its cramped cabin and two seats, the RX-8 is a four-seater GT coupe that makes a few concessions to comfort and convienence. The rear-hinged "suicide" rear doors with no center roof pillar make access to the RX-8's small two-seat rear easier than in most coupes."

Wow, 210 OR 250 hp in an overweight stylized Camry with suicide doors. I am less than impressed. This is what has happened since the FD3S was designed in 1989?

A four-seater GT coupe? WTF is that? A Ferrari 456GT? How dare Mazda classify this as "Rotary Experimental".

Here's to one of the last few TRUE sports cars: THE FD3S!

Rant is over.

peejay

double post

- Pete (Forum Killer)

peejay

You seem to think that they are speaking badly of the RX-7 when they say it was "frenetic" in comparison to a family sedan.

If your automtive experience is so dependent on what the magazines say about your car, maybe you should be driving a Lambo or Ferrari or some other overrated POS.

Then again, you seem to think that the "X" stands for "Experimental".... or that there is anything special in being "RX".

CowsniperRX7

iTrader: (3)

Well i think they hit the nail on the head. I would consider the FD "frenetic". Intense - DEFINITELY. Wild - of course. Disorderly - at times. Compulsive - if they mean the owners are normally obsessive compulsive about their cars, then yea. Agitated - its more like Agitating everyone else because the -7- can never lose!!

FormerPorscheGuy

They did state that it was uncompromising and from the tone of the last line one can extrapolate that they arn't impressed with the RX-8 after being in an RX-7.

volley1

The RX8 is not a successor to the FD. It is a family version of a sports car. I am glad Mazda brought the rotary back and hopefully it will lead to another RX7, but the RX8 doesn't compare to the FD at all. Mazda says it has a better suspension yet it doesn't hold the skidpad as well as the FD. Mazda says it has a better/more advanced engine yet it has no torque and they had to lower the horsepower rating because it was too weak. I am very happy there is another rotary on the market, however the RX8 is a fat, slow, clumsy, and kinda buck toothed version of an RX7. It is amazing to me that a car designed in 1989 still looks better than the 350Z, Lancer, WRX, MR2, and a few other sports cars made in 2003. Mazda really got it right with the FD. Hope they make another version soon (although I probably would never be able to afford it).

peejay

The suspension doesn't make the skidpad numbers, the tires do, and i suspect that the RX-8 would have tires tuned more for treadlife than grip. Suspension comes into play for handling, the tires for grip, and you don't need handling to drive in a constant radius circle on a lake of asphalt.

Remember for about eight-nine years everything rotary powered was a sedan or truck, and until 1996 there has always been a rotary powered sedan. The RX-7 was the anomaly in the RX line, it wasn't the norm. It just happened to have sold the most.

Tanabe

consumer reports sucks the big one! look at the country we live in... it's transforming into a gigantic "grocery getter" society where SUVs (which aren't really meant for off roading anymore) are everywhere. the "S" in SUV should stand for ******. F**K 'em all at least WE and other people (with a brain and some *****) around the world know that a fat, non-turbo'd RX-8 won't stand up to our mighty FDs. the 3rd gen RX-7 will always be a classic!

Icemastr

iTrader: (2)

I love my RX-8 it fills a lot of the things my FD does and a lot of extras I wish the FD did do. It has awesome styling, decent power, great handling, but also is easy to drive around, comfortable on short and long trips, I dont have to worry about starting it up and cruising to the store, and it seats 4 people. The RX-8 was never intended to be a true sports car, if it was it would have 2 seats wouldnt it. Its meant to be a touring car that is great all around.

Ralgh

The big thing is that they didn't want to fall into the same problems they had with the RX-7 sales wise. I read that Ford had the say whether they would bring a new rotary to the US and some of what they had to say was that it would have 4 seats and doors. They watered down the RX-7 to appeal to more people, practicality and price.

Consumer Reports is rating cars for your mom and dad. I was surprised to see them actually chose the 5 spd manual over the automatic in the 1993 MX-6 I had but usually they don't like the traits of a good fun sports car.

RonKMiller

Glad you like your car - but it's still a Camry in drag - any way you slice it! And if your idea of decent power is 0 to 60 in 9 seconds... as far as I'm concerned it's just another turdmobile with fancy looks and four seats.

My beef boils down to the fact that Mazda has taken the RX nomenclature, dumbed it down, hyped it up and thrust it on an unsuspecting generation of "sports car" driving wannabees. The press follows along like a bunch of dumb puppies.

OHHHH look! He's driving an RX8!!!!!!! Isn't that like the one that won LeMans?

Mazda has no pride. Anything for a buck.

Again - glad you like your car - it just isn't Kansei.

adam c

iTrader: (2)

You cannot compare the two cars. They are completely different cars, for completely different markets.

You wouldn't try to compare a CRX to an Accord. Don't try compare these two.

RonKMiller

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RonKMiller

volley1

That is funnier than hell!!!! LOL. adamc I think you are right. The two cars shouldn't be compared against each other. I think part of the issue is some of the media and even the Mazda dealers themselves are touting the RX8 as the new RX7 or replacement RX7. It just isn't the case. The RX7 is an all out sports car that hauls a$$ and handles better than 99% of the cars out there. The RX8 is a sport sedan for the people that want to say they have a sports car but don't really.

Tanabe

you're right though... i do feel kinda bad for the whole "fast & furious, riced out, altezza light" generation. they wouldn't know a real sports car if it jumped up and bit 'em in the ***.

turbojeff

iTrader: (30)

Ron, buddy....

Calm down man. The FD is frenetic, and thats OK.

The RX-8 is a dumbed down RX? What? How many RX vehicles have you owned? RX-4? RX-5/Cosmo? Are those RX worthy vehicles? How about the RX-3 WAGON? They all came before your beloved FD. How about a auto convertible, ever driven one of those?


You seem to think the FD defines RX-dom when really it does not. The RX-8 is completely worthy of the RX title.

Jeff<--- with his own opinions

Rx-7Addict

iTrader: (2)

ITS CONSUMER REPORTS

WHO CARES

If you want to know which bar of soap is cheaper per use, fine, but if youre buying a car they dont know anything

Rx-7Addict

iTrader: (2)

ITS CONSUMER REPORTS

WHO CARES

If you want to know which bar of soap is cheaper per use, fine, but if youre buying a car they dont know anything

SleepR1

FWIW I am considering buying an Rx8 as a second car for my wife, so we can have a sporty vehicle to drive when we're out together. The Mazda sales guy (having seen my tricked-out FD3S I drove up in), was quick to point out that the Rx8 will not compare to my "bad-boy" Rx7 (I smiled of course). During my test drive, I immediately knew the Rx8 and Rx7 were related...the Renesis motor's smoothness, the steering feel, the handling, and the very powerful brakes. We took a few switchbacks curves and off/on ramps, and aside from the extra body roll, I was quite happy with the Rx8's handling. The 8 could use wider tires...9 wides with 255/40-18s all around would suit the 5-speed nicely; 225s on 8 wides shod on a 3000-lb car just doesn't cut it for ultimate cornering stick. I agree--Mazda should have put REAL tires on the 8...certainly S-03s or S-02s (heck S2000s come stock with S-02s?!). The 8 really falls on its face in flat out acceleration. Having a fully modded FD3S, I'm used to the tach needle moving rather quickly to redline...with the 8, the tach needle takes some time to hit 9000 rpm in 3rd gear. Yeah, the 8's slow, relative to the FD3S, make no mistake. I think Mazda made a huge mistake saying that the 8 makes almost as much hp as the old FD3S. Not only is the hp rating downgraded to 238 (from 250), but practically speaking, it's the torque we're missing. There's no push in the back. The 8 does accelerate, but not much better than my wife's current SL-2 sedan. The only difference is that the 8's motor is so much smoother than the caucaphony the Saturn's inline 4 makes @ WOT

As for Consumer Reports serving as a buyers guide for choosing a "sporty"car--NO. If you're shopping for a vacuum cleaner, or washer/dryer combo, Consumer Reports "might" be worth consulting...but that's about it...

RonKMiller

...actually I was looking for a new water heater.

gcthree

Let me remind everyone that the 3rd generation RX7, although critically acclaimed by all the enthusiast press, was a dismal sales failure. The initial slow uptake in the market was due to a significantly higher price position than the previous generation, and the continuing reliability and quality control problems only heightened the limited appeal of the car. It was one of the many reasons that Mazda got upside down, and permitted Ford to step in to save it. Were it not for Ford, our RX7's could be even more collectible than they are because Mazda might not have still been around.

So, you have to give alot of credit to Ford for keeping the flame alive, and bringing a rotary powered car back to the market. The RX8, although not to everyone's liking, is certainly in keeping with the Mazda approach to automobiles: extraordinary engineering, a passion for performance vehicles, and very unique product. It's hardly a Camry, or any other car for that matter. We hear your point, but it's not well taken.

RonKMiller

Actually I've got my eye on an RX2 with a rather *ahem* stout NA engine. All it needs are some decent tires and a little suspension work....I would not DREAM of repainting it.

I bet it will beat ANY RX8 in a drag...

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Ron, you're missing logic again. There were other RX vehicles before the 7, and IIRC none of them were sports cars. What makes you think the RX-8 is betraying the heritage? I think Mazda has been very true to their word in marketing the 8 as a sports sedan.

The press follows because they're ignorant. You should be above getting all pissed because of it - in fact you should probably be happy that the RX-8 is on track to be a popular and revitalizing car for Mazda. Shame on you for reading Consumer Reports and taking it seriously. If you have any interest in another RX-7, you should realize a well-distributed rotary fleet is vital. If Mazda can put out another RX-7, I'm sure it will be beefed to kick the pants out of the sports sedans and also real sports cars just like the FD did.

Dave

RonKMiller

This spin has been brought to you courtesy of Ford Public Relations. Good to know you're monitoring the real world!

Extraordinary engineering? You must be talking about the suicide doors. I can just see the design team about 5 years ago sitting around chewing the fat and saying "Hey, remember the early 60's Lincoln Continental? Let's do something nobody has seen in 40 years, but this time we'll call it a GT!"

I DO know a few things about marketing, and the pre-sales "buzz" for the RX8 was ALL generated around the notion that it was somehow "kin" to the badass FD3S.

Its called Strategic Misrepresentation on Madison Avenue.

What a letdown. A turd is a turd is a turd. You can dress it up, put a bow tie on it, spray it with perfume and even teach it to dance a little, but its still a turd.

I guess I'm kinda' like the "Soup ****" in the old Sienfeld show: No RX8 for me!